Lucy Goosey's Birthday Party
by DNAisUnique
Summary: Lucy's turning six, so of course there must be a party. Second in the 'Lucy Goosey' series. SMacked and Dantana. **Now complete**
1. Chapter 1

**Thanks for all of the feedback for 'Lucy Goosey.' I enjoyed writing it, so I've decided to make it a series. Going by the US airdate of "Greater Good," Lucy's birthday is 6 May 2009. Therefore, this takes place in May 2015.**

**For Julia. Happy birthday, my dear!**

**Enjoy!**

**VVVVV**

"Daddy," Lucy Messer whispered, poking her father's bicep.

Danny mumbled unintelligibly but didn't open his eyes.

"Daddy," Lucy whispered again, poking him harder.

"Hmm…"

"Daddy!" Lucy repeated a third time, this time using a normal tone and tugging on the sleeve of his t-shirt.

Finally, Danny half-opened his eyes and peeked at her. "Luce? What are you doing up at--" he glanced at the clock on the nightstand, "--6:18?"

"It's my birthday, Daddy! I'm six!" she exclaimed.

Danny chuckled. "Not quite, Baby Girl. Today's the day of your party. Your birthday's not 'til Wednesday."

The excitement drained from Lucy's face, and she pouted as she crossed her arm over her stomach. "I gotta wait 'til then for pancakes?"

Danny chuckled again as he sat up on the edge of the bed, knowing Lucy wasn't going to let him go back to sleep. "You want your birthday pancakes today instead?" he asked, gently poking her nose.

"Daddy!" Lucy grinned, squirming away from him.

Danny put his index finger to his lips. "We gotta be quiet and let Mommy sleep, 'kay?"

"'Kay," Lucy nodded then scrunched up her face. "Does that mean I get pancakes?"

"Let's get outta here, kid," he replied with a grin as he grabbed his glasses from the nightstand and followed his exuberant almost-six-year-old daughter from the room.

VVVVV

Lucy sat on the counter, mixing bowl in her lap. "Can I put the chocolate chips in?"

Danny--always close enough to keep Lucy from falling off the counter--handed her the bag of chocolate chips. "I'll hold the bowl. Don't pour in too many though."

Apparently not understanding the phrase 'too many,' Lucy dumped the entire bag of chocolate chips into the mixing bowl. "Oopsie," Lucy said, slow to meet Danny's gaze. "Sorry, Daddy."

Head tilted to the side, Danny looked at her but couldn't even pretend to be upset. He cracked a smile and took the empty bag from her. "Daddy's gonna be in so much trouble with Mommy," he said lightly.

"What did you let her do that she wasn't supposed to do?" Lindsay asked coming up beside him.

"Geez, Montana! Nice of you to announce your presence!"

"Presents?" Lucy asked excitedly.

Danny laughed and kissed Lucy on the forehead. "Different kind, Baby Girl."

"I'm not a baby. I'm six!"

"You're _almost_ six," Danny reminded her, gently tugging on a strand of her hair.

Lindsay joined in on the laughter and quickly kissed Danny, then peered into the mixing bowl. "Oh, we're having chocolate chips with a little bit of pancake batter?"

"No, Mommy!" Lucy giggled. "It's gonna be chocolate chip pancakes!"

"You mean Daddy's special birthday pancakes?"

"Uh-huh," Lucy nodded.

"There sure are a lot of chocolate chips in there," Lindsay said, glancing back into the bowl.

"That's 'cause I putted too many in," Lucy informed her mother.

"Put," Lindsay corrected her. Lucy was going to learn correct grammar, even if it killed Lindsay--and at this rate, it would. Then she glanced up at Danny. "That's why you're gonna be in trouble, because of the chocolate chips?"

"Eh, do I get a pass if these are the best pancakes ever?" he asked, Messer-grin firmly in place.

Lindsay pondered the question--albeit playfully--and finally grinned back at him. "I think the headache you'll have later will be punishment enough."

"Headache?" he asked, grin sliding from his face.

"Yeah, anyone who eats this much sugar is gonna have a heck of a headache later," she smirked. "Not to mention the twelve screaming kids we're gonna have here in five hours…"

"You're right," he agreed sheepishly. "That's definitely enough punishment." He turned his attention back to Lucy. "Are you sure you want pancakes today, Luce?"

"We already maked the batter, Daddy!" Lucy said with a grin as she nodded vigorously. "And I really want pancakes! Please?!" she finished with a pout.

"Good luck with that, Daddy," Lindsay said, patting Danny on the back. "Mommy's gotta go get ready for this party."

**VVVVV**

**Thanks for reading! I totally hadn't planned on this being multi-chaptered, but apparently my muse feels like being wordy. :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews/favorites/alerts! They make my day. Enjoy!**

**VVVVV**

Lindsay had never been happier to hear the door buzzer go off. She hurried to the door and flung it open, heaving a sigh of relief as she saw who was there. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew it was foolish to open the door before identifying the person on the other side, but with the morning Lindsay'd had…

"Stella, thank God."

"You okay, Linds?" Stella asked as she passed through the doorway carrying a few small bags.

"Let's just say this morning has been quite interesting. Lucy talked Danny into fixing her chocolate chip pancakes," Lindsay said as she closed the door. "She wanted to help him, of course, and she ended up dumping the whole bag of chocolate chips into the batter. Three giant pancakes later…" Lindsay sighed. "I'm ready to pull out my hair, and we haven't even started the party."

Stella grinned and put the bags on the table. "Yeah, I seem to remember Lucy loving sugar and the effect it has on her. Where is she, anyway?"

"Danny's giving her a bath. Should be finished any minute."

On cue, Lucy squealed. "Daddy, hurry! Aunt Stella's here! Aunt Stella's here!"

"Luce, calm down! You gotta get some clothes on first!" Danny replied just as loudly.

"What do you two think this is, a zoo?" Lindsay shouted. "Inside voices!" Lindsay groaned, earning a chuckle from Stella. "She's never having sugar again."

"Aw, come on, at least let her have cake and ice cream. It is her birthday party after all," Stella smirked.

"Okay, no more sugar after the party," Lindsay agreed with a laugh of her own. "Oh my God! The cake!"

Stella gasped. "I was supposed to get that, wasn't I?"

Lindsay's eyes bugged out as she stared at Stella, quickly approaching a panicked state.

"Relax, Linds," Stella grinned as she gave Lindsay's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Mac's bringing it."

"Don't _do_ that to me, Stell," Lindsay exclaimed.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist. So what are we decorating first?" Stella asked.

"Hopefully we'll be able to contain the party to this room, so let's start in here. I think we're gonna push all the furniture against the wall so the kids will have more room to play, but we'll wait 'til Danny can help with that. I really appreciate you coming over to help. And for bringing the plates, utensils, and cups. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Glad I could help," Stella said with a grin. "You want to start with the streamers?" she asked, picking up a package of lilac-colored streamers from the table. "You think you got enough?" she joked, eyeing the eight packages of streamers--four lilac, four a darker purple.

"I couldn't decide which ones to get, so I bought both. There's also two 'Happy birthday' banners and balloons."

"What'd you do, buy out the store?"

"Apparently, except for the plates, utensils, and cups!" Lindsay replied.

"Aunt Stella!" Lucy shrieked, racing into the room.

"Hey, Lucy Goosey!" Stella smiled and held open her arms.

Lucy collided with Stella with such force that it sent both stumbling a few steps.

"Calm down, Lucy!" Lindsay scolded. "I know you're excited to see Aunt Stella, but you don't need to knock her down."

Arms still wrapped around Stella's waist, Lucy looked up at Lindsay, wide eyes saddened by the admonishment.

"It's fine, really," Stella told Lindsay. "See, Luce? I'm still standing," she grinned as she hugged Lucy, then bent to pick her up. "I missed you!"

"I missed you, too. Where's Uncle Mac?"

"He'll be here soon."

"Good, 'cause I don't want him to miss my party!"

"No way he's gonna miss it," Stella assured her. "What's on your shirt, Luce?"

"Um," Lucy said, glancing down, "Whitesnake!"

"Yeah, it used to be _my_ Whitesnake shirt until Lucy decided it was her new favorite dress," Lindsay informed Stella, air quotes around the last word. "Why don't you go play in your room so we can decorate for your party."

"I wanna help," Lucy stated as Stella put her down.

"Well, honey, Aunt Stella, Daddy, and Mommy have to decorate the high things first. Tell you what," Lindsay said, ruffling Lucy's hair, "when we're ready to set the table and get out the games, you can help us, okay?"

"'Kay, Mommy," Lucy agreed with a grin before skipping away.

"Luce, could you ask Daddy to come in here?" Lindsay called after her.

"'Kay!" Lucy yelled over her shoulder.

Danny appeared a minute later, bowing deeply. "You rang, madam?"

"Quit being stupid," Lindsay giggled as she gave him a playful shove.

"I was just tryin' to get ya to smile, 'Tana," Danny grinned and quickly kissed Lindsay.

"Danny, company," Lindsay said shyly.

"What? It ain't like Stella's never seen us kiss. But if you're feelin' left out, Stell…" Danny said as he turned toward her.

"Do it and die, Messer," Stella fired back, jokingly. "'Tana?"

"Yeah," Lindsay said, "apparently nicknames get nicknames. It's short for 'Montana.'"

"Ah, got it," Stella said.

"So, where do we start?" Danny asked.

The trio worked for the next thirty minutes, hanging streamers, banners, and balloons and pushing the furniture against the wall.

"Luce!" Lindsay called. "You ready to help us in here?"

"Uh-huh! Comin'!"

The door buzzer sounded as Lucy tore down the hall. Lindsay looked through the peephole--now calm enough to remember to do so--and grinned as she opened the door.

"I heard there was a birthday party here," Mac said lightly.

"Uncle Mac!" Lucy squealed as she made a beeline for him.

Lindsay was barely able to take the cake from his hands before Lucy smacked into Mac, just as she'd done earlier with Stella.

"Slow down, Lucy! You can't just smash into people because you're excited to see them," Lindsay sighed.

"But I didn't see Uncle Mac in so long, Mommy!"

Danny placed a calm and reassuring hand on Lindsay's shoulder, gently squeezing it.

"I know, Baby," Lindsay said, glad to have her husband there to calm her down. "And it's okay to be happy to see someone, but just be easy when you hug them, okay?"

Lucy nodded then looked up at Mac. "I'm sorry, Uncle Mac."

Mac smiled down at her. "No need for apologies," he told her. "Besides, I think you get your enthusiasm from your mom. I've seen her take down bad guys all by herself," Mac chuckled, remembering Lindsay's very first case with the NYPD, among others.

"Ooh-hoo!" Danny snickered. One hand remained on Lindsay's shoulder, the other, in closed-fist fashion, pressed to his lips in a vain effort to keep silent.

"I don't remember tackling bad guys because I was excited to see them," Lindsay countered facetiously.

"The means are the same, even if the reasons vary," Mac laughed again.

"Boom, 'Tana!" Danny smirked.

"Zip it."

"Yes, dear," Danny said, still trying to hold back the laughter.

Lucy, tired of the 'adult talk,' pulled on Mac's hand. "I gotta big girl bed, now, Uncle Mac. Wanna see it?"

"I'd love to," Mac told her with a grin. "Lead the way."

"Well, there goes our help," Stella joked.

"You come, too, Aunt Stella. 'Cause you didn't see it. Only you gotta hold Uncle Mac's hand," she said animatedly. "I can't be the lead and be in the middle, too."

Lindsay watched Lucy lead her godparents down the hall and sighed, tears welling up in her eyes. "Oh, Danny," she whispered, "can you believe she's six?"

"Not 'til Wednesday," Danny said, tears in his eyes, too. "For now, she's still five."

**VVVVV**

**Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for continuing to make 'Lucy' so popular. Your reviews/favorites/alerts are great encouragement for my muse. I know I haven't replied to all the reviews. I didn't forget them, and I'll reply as soon as I can!**

**For Julia and her ceaseless amazingness.**

**Enjoy!**

**VVVVV**

"Luce, it's time to get you changed," Lindsay said when she entered Lucy's room a few minutes later.

Lucy was still talking up a storm, telling her godparents all about her new big girl bed.

"Your friends are gonna be here soon," Lindsay said in an effort to hurry things along.

"And then we can start my party?"

"Yes," Lindsay nodded.

"Yes!" Lucy exclaimed, bouncing.

Lindsay moved to the closet. "You still want to wear your new purple shirt?"

"Uh-huh! Purple's my favorite color!"

"I know," Lindsay said, pulling the shirt from the closet along with a pair of Lucy's jeans. "You tell me almost every day!"

"It's 'cause you might forget," Lucy giggled.

"Oh, really?" Lindsay laughed lightly.

"Uh-huh," Lucy nodded, pulling one arm through the sleeve of her 'dress.'

"Let's see if we can help Danny while they're finishing up in here," Stella said to Mac.

"Yeah," Mac agreed, following her from the room.

VVVVV

Thirty minutes later, the place was teeming with rambunctious five- and six-year-olds.

"Now _this _is a zoo," Danny smirked, watching the kids chase each other around the room.

"Tell me about it!" Lindsay sighed exasperatedly. "Where is Adam? He said he'd be here!"

"He probably got lost," Danny supplied.

"He's been here a million times, Danny. What if something happened to him?"

"Yeah, way to be optimistic there, 'Tana. I'll call him and see where he is." Danny pulled out his phone--because who in New York City still had a landline?--and dialed Adam's number. After a few seconds, Danny spoke. "Yo, Adam, man, where are you?" He listened to Adam's response then continued. "Yeah, Lindsay's goin' bananas. Get here as soon as you can. You're kind of our party entertainment."

"So?" Lindsay asked when Danny put the phone back in his pocket.

"He forgot to get Lucy a present, so he was looking for the 'perfect' one and lost track of time. He'll be here soon. We'll just have to improvise until he gets here."

The kids were in their second round of The Limbo--all twelve kids still in the game--when the door buzzer sounded again. Lindsay, who'd been taking pictures as Mac and Stella held each end of the Limbo stick, put down the camera and went to open the door.

"Pizza's here!" Lindsay said a couple of minutes later after she'd paid for the food and closed the door.

The kids, of course, were more interested in pizza and quickly abandoned their game of Limbo. They all shouted their pizza choices, their shrill voices running together.

"Yo!" Danny said loudly enough to get the kids' attention. When he spoke again, his tone was softer, yet still authoritative. "Everyone's gonna get some pizza. We just have to take turns. Now, who's first?" he finished, hands clapping together.

As the choruses of "Me!" and "I do!" resounded, Stella snickered at Danny.

"Did you really think they'd answer you one-at-a-time?" she asked.

"You gonna criticize or help?" Danny countered jokingly.

Stella smirked and quirked an eyebrow at him, then said, "Everyone who wants cheese pizza, come to me. Anyone who wants pepperoni go to Danny."

The kids separated with relative ease, half wanting cheese, the other half wanting pepperoni. And even though Danny and Mac had set up a table for the kids, most of them decided they'd rather sit on the floor in a circle.

Stella glanced at Mac and noticed his grin. "What are you thinking about?" she asked.

"What it was like to be six and how fun it was to sit on the floor."

"You can join them," Stella quipped.

"Uh, no," Mac chuckled and glanced at Lucy, only to find her looking at him.

She waved in their direction, and both Mac and Stella waved back.

"That's my Uncle Mac and Aunt Stella," Lucy beamed as she told her friends.

VVVVV

Finally, Adam arrived, ducking his head and refusing to look Lindsay in the eye.

"Sorry, Linds," he apologized sheepishly. "But if it's any consolation, I got Lucy an _excellent_ present," he grinned, handing Lindsay a pink gift bag, overflowing with what appeared to be an entire package of tissue paper.

"Geez, Adam, what'd you get her, bricks?" Lindsay said, commenting on the weight of the bag.

"It's, uh, a surprise," Adam stuttered. "But I think she'll love it."

"She'll have to just look at it, because I'm not sure she can lift it!" Lindsay loosened up and teased, unable to stay mad at Adam any longer.

"Eh, she'll be fine," Adam replied, visibly relieved that Lindsay had forgiven him so quickly. "So, are you ready for--" he put his hands on his hips and finished in his best 'superhero' voice, "--Balloon Man?"

"We've been waiting on _balloon man_ for an hour," Danny told him, clapping him on the back. "I hope you're ready, man, because patience isn't in these kids' vocabulary."

Adam grinned. "Bring it on, kidlets!"

Lindsay shook her head in amusement and led Adam further into the room. "You have no idea what you've just stepped into, Ross."

Adam's nervous laughter was enough to draw Lucy's attention, and she sped toward him.

"Lucy!" Danny exclaimed, sensing what was about to happen and knowing Lindsay would likely scream if Lucy tackle-hugged another person.

Lucy skidded to a halt just in front of Adam then wrapped her arms around his waist in a quick, polite hug. "Hi, Uncle Adam. Thanks for coming to my party."

"You betcha, kid," he said, ruffling her hair.

"Uncle Adam!" Lucy whined, ducking away from him.

"Sorry, Lucy," Adam grinned as he opened one of the bags he'd brought. "Let me make it up to you by making you a balloon animal! I can do hats, swords, and flowers, too."

"Yay!" Lucy squealed as she jumped excitedly. "Can I have a hat and a sword?"

"Well, it _is_ your birthday, so I guess so. Which do you want first?"

"Why does she get to go first?" a little boy pouted.

"'Cause it's my birthday, stupid-head," Lucy shot back, sticking out her tongue for added effect.

"Lucy Messer!" Lindsay exclaimed. "We don't tolerate name-calling or sticking out your tongue. Apologize to Brady right now!"

"Sorry," Lucy mumbled grudgingly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I didn't even know you made things outta balloons," Danny said to Adam once the spat passed and all the kids got the balloon object of their choice.

Adam laughed. "I started in high school. It was easy money, and it got me a lot of girls."

"You mean I wasted all those years playing baseball trying to attract girls when all I had to do was make dogs and swords out of balloons?" Danny smirked.

"Yeah, pretty much," Adam replied.

"Hey," Stella said, "anyone know where Lucy is?"

**VVVVV**

**Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for continuing to read and review! Favorites and alerts are awesome, too! I can't tell you how happy it makes me to know that 'Lucy' is doing so well. Enjoy!**

**VVVVV**

The five adults looked around the room, frantically searching for Lucy. The other kids were all present and accounted for but Lucy was nowhere to be found.

"Lucy?" Danny called.

"I'll see if I can find her," Lindsay told them.

"I'll help," Stella said as she followed Lindsay from the room.

Lindsay went into Lucy's room hoping to find her there. She checked under the bed--Lucy having decided she liked hiding under her new bed--and in the closet, but couldn't find her daughter.

Stella glanced inside behind Lindsay as she passed the door to Lucy's room and continued down the hall. A few steps later, she heard quiet sniffles coming from inside the bathroom. She tapped softly on the door and slowly pushed it open.

"Lucy?" she asked, poking her head inside and looking around.

Lucy sat in the bathtub, knees hugged to her chest.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Stella said as she quickly crossed the room and kneeled by the tub, smoothing Lucy's hair.

"Brady," Lucy sniffled again.

"What about Brady?"

"He said girls can't be pirates, and purple swords is stupid."

"Oh, Lucy," Stella sighed sympathetically. "I bet that hurt your feelings," she said softly.

"Uh-huh," Lucy nodded and wiped away the few tears with the back of her hand.

"I'm sorry Brady said that. It wasn't very nice of him." Her heart broke as Lucy stared up at her, teary-eyed. "You know, sometimes people say things they don't mean. He shouldn't have said that, but it could be that he's misinformed."

"Huh?" Lucy asked, her face scrunching up in confusion.

"Maybe nobody told him girls can be anything they want."

"Like pirates?" Lucy asked, head tilted to the side, eyes now hopeful.

"Yep," Stella grinned. "With purple swords."

"Really?"

"Sure! Now how about we go back to your party, huh, Lucy Goosey?" Stella said, tickling Lucy's ribs.

Lucy giggled. "'Kay. But I wanna be a princess and a pirate!"

"You can be anything, but the first thing we have to do is get you out of that tub," Stella said, standing and helping Lucy climb out. "Why were you hiding in here?"

Lucy shrugged her shoulders and peered up at Stella. "Just 'cause."

"Okay, I see," Stella replied with a small laugh. "Mind if I ask another question?"

Lucy shook her head.

"Why did you want to invite Brady and the other boy to your party? Didn't you say just a few weeks ago that 'boys have cooties?'" she asked, her tone light.

"Sometimes boy cooties are okay. Brady and Colby sometimes got good boy cooties." Lucy made her 'thinking face' and looked up at Stella. "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Of course."

Lucy waggled her index finger, indicating that Stella should come closer. Stella bent down to Lucy's level, and Lucy pushed Stella's hair back and cupped her hands around Stella's ear.

"I like Brady. He's cute," Lucy whispered.

"Yes, he is," Stella smiled and straightened. Apparently, the situation had resolved itself, and Lucy had forgotten why she was even hiding in the bathroom. "Do you think you can forgive him for what he said?"

"Um, yeah," Lucy eventually agreed. "But he can't say it again. He'll hafta go to jail with all the other mean people."

"Really?" Stella chuckled.

"Maybe not jail. Probably time-out."

"Yeah, I think time-out would work better."

"Me, too," Lucy nodded. "Can we go back to my party now?"

"I'll follow you, Lucy Goosey!" Stella said, marveling at how quickly Lucy's mood could change. "I found her!" she called once she and Lucy were in the hall.

"Where'd she go?" Danny asked when they came back into the room.

"She needed a little alone time," Stella replied, "but I think she's okay now, right, Luce?" she finished, patting Lucy's shoulder.

"Uh-huh," Lucy nodded.

Just then, a loud 'pop' resounded, followed by a wail from one of the boys--Brady. His balloon sword had popped, the sound startling him. Lucy was the first one at his side, and she held out her purple balloon sword for him to take, having retrieved it from where she'd discarded it earlier after her tiff with Brady.

"You can have mine, Brady," Lucy said.

He sniffled and looked at her.

"Here," she insisted, pushing it further in his direction.

Finally, Brady reached forward timidly and took the purple balloon sword from Lucy.

"Can I be a pirate with you now?" Lucy asked. "'Cause I gived you my sword. And 'cause my Aunt Stella said you was misformed. That means you didn't know girls can do anything boys can do. My Aunt Stella said I can be a pirate if I want. She's really smart."

"Misformed?" Mac smirked as he came up behind Stella, standing close enough for her to feel his warm breath rush past her ear.

"Yeah, good one, Stell," Danny added from across the room.

"She means 'misinformed,'" Stella said, slightly leaning against Mac, even as she rolled her eyes at Danny.

As the brief exchange took place between the adults, Brady shrugged and poked Lucy with the end of the balloon sword. "I sworded you. You gotta die," he told her.

"Nuh-uh!" Lucy argued. "You don't sword your friends!"

Lindsay, who had returned to the party just as Brady's balloon sword popped, sensed that a fight was on the verge of breaking out between Lucy and Brady and intervened. "Who wants cake and ice cream?"

And so the would-be altercation was forgotten in favor of the edible birthday tradition.

**VVVVV**

**Thanks for reading!**

**A/N: I couldn't resist the mini-cliffhanger in the last chapter. :D**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the continued support! Reviews/Favorites/Alerts are always welcome! Enjoy!**

**VVVVV**

The rest of the kids--apparently having a radar for the phrase 'cake and ice cream'--stopped playing and eagerly gathered around the table impatiently waiting for Danny to bring the goodies. He put the ice cream and cake on the table and waited for Lindsay and Stella to take pictures of the cake from various angles. He shook his head and laughed, knowing he would never understand women's obsession with taking pictures of birthday cakes.

Finally, they finished and Danny carefully lit the candles on the cake, making sure the kids were far enough away so they couldn't reach out for the candles. Lucy grinned and counted the candles.

"There's six, Mommy!" Lucy exclaimed, looking up at Lindsay.

"I know, baby," Lindsay said with a smile, though she felt the tears welling up again. She swallowed around the lump in her throat. "Okay, everyone, let's sing…"

Lucy beamed the entire time she was being sung to.

Lucy closed her eyes and made a wish before blowing out the candles in one try. After a few minor headaches--two kids arguing over who got the corner piece, who were both appeased as there were more than two corners, and another girl who had to have separate bowls for her cake and ice cream because she couldn't stand them touching--everyone was served, the kids delighted to have more junk food, and the adults relieved that the party was nearing its end. Post cake and ice cream, there was only one thing left to do--open presents!

Lucy, again deciding she'd rather sit in the floor, plopped down next to the pile of presents, her friends facing her, each of them anxious to watch Lucy open the gift they'd brought her.

Lucy opened present after present from her friends, squealing excitedly at each one, the highlights being a sticker set containing a thousand stickers--Lindsay groaned at that one, knowing there would soon be stickers on every surface Lucy could reach--and a tan teddy bear wearing a pink dress from Build-A-Bear. The kids, all eager to see Lucy's new things, scooted closer to her with each gift, the semi-circle shrinking in size until they were practically sitting on top of each other.

The adults' gifts for Lucy had been saved for last, and Lindsay cleared a path through the kids to get to her daughter. She sat down next to Lucy, who was now on her knees, and handed her the bag Adam brought.

"It's heavy, Mommy!" Lucy exclaimed as she struggled to lift it.

"I know! Uncle Adam must think you're a weightlifter!" Lindsay told her, sneaking a teasing glance up at Adam.

Adam grinned. "I hope you like it, Lucy!"

Lucy pulled the tissue paper from the bag, tossing the pieces over her shoulder in rapid succession. When she saw the item on the bottom of the bag, her eyes widened, and she scrambled to lift it from the bag.

"You got me Twizzlers?! I _love_ Twizzlers!" Lucy bounced.

"What up!" Adam replied in a high-pitched voice. He beamed upon seeing that Lucy was pleased with the gift.

"Daddy! Mommy! Uncle Adam got me Twizzlers, see?!"

"Wasn't that nice of him?" Lindsay said--though forced--as she reached to take the large tub of Twizzlers from Lucy's hands. "_Five _pounds of Twizzlers?!" she said, glancing back up at Adam, her look saying she was definitely not as happy with the gift as Lucy was.

Adam shrugged his shoulders as the grin slid from his face. "It's not like she has to eat them all at once!"

"Can I open 'em now?" Lucy asked, leaning toward Lindsay and trying to get the lid off the container, despite the plastic ring that held it shut.

"I think you've had enough sugar for today, Luce," Lindsay said, handing the container to Danny.

"Mommy!" Lucy pouted.

"No, cake and ice cream is it for today. Here," Lindsay told her, handing Lucy another present, "this one is from Uncle Don, Uncle Sheldon, and Uncle Sid."

"Why didn't they come to my party?" Lucy asked, quickly recovering from her pouting spell, her actions making Stella smile once again.

"They really wanted to come, Baby Girl," Danny said, "but they had to work." Danny turned to Mac and Stella. "Flack said someone needed to keep the city safe," he smirked.

Mac chuckled at the jibe, but knew there was no place he'd rather be than at Lucy's birthday party. One of the perks of being head of the New York Crime Lab…

Lucy tore off the paper and was inspecting the box. "It's a camera! I get my own pictures!"

"Oh my god," Lindsay said breathlessly as she took the box from Lucy. "She's right; it's a camera." She looked up at Danny. "Did you know about this?"

"No," Danny told her. "You think I would've let 'em get her a camera?"

"Oh, you know," Adam interrupted, nearly as excited as Lucy. "That's one of those really cool cameras. They're basically indestructible. Kid-proof. And totally awesome."

"I'll say," Lindsay uttered as she looked a the box again. "Wow, Lucy, you've got great uncles. We'll have to make sure you thank them for their generous gift."

"Uh-huh. I will," Lucy agreed. "Can I do pictures now?"

"Later, Baby Girl," Danny told her. "Your party's almost over, so you gotta finish opening your presents."

"Yeah, it looks like you've got two more here," Lindsay told her. "Open this one from Uncle Mac and Aunt Stella," she said, handing her a smallish box.

All eyes were on Lucy as she tore off the wrapping paper. Eyes wide as saucers for the umpteenth time since her party started, Lucy shrieked as she recognized the picture on the box.

"IPod, iPod, iPod!" Lucy screamed as she hopped around in a small circle.

The kids had inched forward again and were barely a few feet from her. She nearly stepped on or fell over them in her excitement.

"Someone told us you liked purple," Mac grinned.

Lucy momentarily halted her bouncing. "It's purple?"

"Yes," Stella nodded.

And the bouncing began again, the squeals even louder than before.

"Purple iPod, purple iPod, purple iPod!"

Dumbfounded and slightly dejected, Adam rubbed his head. "Dude, you guys totally shanked my Twizzlers."

"Don't be sad, Uncle Adam," Lucy said breathlessly, tired from all the bouncing. "I like all the presents! Just Mommy and Daddy won't let me have the Twizzlers now."

"Okay, thanks for cheering me up," Adam said with a tiny smile, still feeling that he should have gotten her something besides five pounds of Twizzlers.

"Yep!" Lucy said. "Daddy, will you open my iPod?" she asked, already guessing what his answer would be.

"Later, Luce," he told her, voice weary, tired of hearing the same question after every gift. "I think there's one more present. From Mommy and me."

Lindsay pulled Lucy down into her lap, easing the iPod box from Lucy's hands and putting it out of the way so it wouldn't get damaged.

"Okay, last one!" Lindsay said, handing the present to Lucy.

The box was smaller than the rest and feather-light. Lucy shook it to see if it made a noise but heard nothing. She twisted sideways and glanced at Lindsay.

"Go ahead and open it," Lindsay encouraged.

Danny, bursting with excitement himself, did his best to steady the video camera, wanting to capture the moment when Lucy opened the gift from Lindsay and him.

Lucy ripped off the paper and removed the lid. "You got me paper?" she asked sadly as she peered inside the box.

Lindsay laughed and hugged Lucy. "What's it say on there? Let's read it together."

Lucy pulled the small slip of paper from the box. "Chi-Chicago…White…Sox…" Lucy sounded out the words. "I don't know this word," she said, pointing to 'vs.'

"That's okay," Lindsay told her. "It's an abbreviation for 'versus.'"

"What's that?"

"Against."

"Against what?"

Lindsay smiled. "Let's keep reading."

"Chicago White Sox versus New York Yank-ees, Yankees."

"Good reading, Lucy!" Lindsay said.

"_The_ Yankees?!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Uh-huh!" Danny beamed from behind the camera.

"Real baseball? I get to see the real Yankees?!"

"Yep," Danny continued.

"This is the best birthday, _ever_!" Lucy shouted, bouncing renewed once again.

Lindsay laughed and groaned at the same time. Her daughter's joy was intoxicating for the people who loved Lucy, but she doubted that the downstairs neighbors had enjoyed the afternoon, probably feeling as though the sky--or the ceiling, anyway--was falling.

**VVVVV**

**Thanks for reading! There's one more chapter, the cleanup! **


	6. Chapter 6

**You guys are great! Thanks for all the support and for making 'Lucy Goosey' so popular. Again, I fibbed about how many chapters were/are left. This is **_**not **_**the last chapter. :)**

**This is for everyone who has been kind enough to befriend me. Special thanks goes to lily moonlight for taking a look at this and setting me straight on some details.**

**Enjoy!**

**VVVVV**

"Thanks for coming!" Lindsay exclaimed with a false cheeriness just before shutting the door behind the last child to be picked up from the party. "Thank God that's over!" she sighed and leaned her back against the door. Her eyes slipped shut, and she swept her bangs away from her face with the back of her hand. "Remind me why we decided to have the party here…"

"It was cheaper, Tana," Danny called from his position on the floor.

Not that he and Lindsay would slack off where their daughter was concerned, but it was necessary to save every penny they could, even if it meant turning their apartment into a zoo for a couple of hours.

Danny had videoed Lucy opening her gifts--at Lindsay's request, of course--so he was just now getting to see the cool electronics his _still_-_five-year-old_ daughter received. He was currently studying the iPod, Adam having taken over the 'kid-proof' camera.

"Daddy! Can I see my iPod now?" Lucy sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, simultaneously tapping her foot as she stood in front of Danny.

Danny chuckled and reached up, quickly tickling Lucy's side. He couldn't believe how much Lucy was like both Lindsay and him, equal amounts of each of them.

"Danny, hand over the iPod to your daughter," Lindsay said as she took a deep breath and pushed away from the door. "You gotta help clean up."

Danny sighed, but handed the iPod to Lucy, who squealed with delight, then stood up with only minor stiffness. "Okay, what do you need me to do?"

"It'd be really great if you and Mac could move the furniture."

"Did you call me?" Mac asked as he reappeared from the kitchen, straightening his shirt and looking a tad…flustered.

"Do you mind helping Danny with the furniture?" Lindsay asked, studying him.

"Not at all," he replied, running a hand down the front of his shirt one last time.

Lindsay stared at him a moment longer before breaking out in a smile.

"What?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing," she mused aloud, though it was obvious she'd guessed the reason for Mac's demeanor.

Silently terminating any further non-discussion, Mac nodded--almost embarrassed--and moved away from Lindsay.

"Anything you need me to do?" Adam called absently, offering to do so only out of courtesy, everyone knowing he'd rather play with Lucy's newly acquired electronics.

"Keep Lucy entertained?" Lindsay asked. "Show her how to use the camera and iPod?"

"Sure," Adam replied, eager to do as requested.

"I coulda done that, showed Lucy how to use 'em," Danny protested, practically pouting.

"I love you, Honey," Lindsay grinned, patting his cheek. "But when it comes to technology, I'm picking Adam every time."

"Ouch!" Danny exclaimed, right hand coming to rest over his heart. "You wound me!"

"I'm sure you'll get over it," she finished with another single pat to his cheek.

"Okay, okay," Danny conceded, pushing her hand away and going to help Mac, who smirked as he watched the exchange, glad that Lindsay's attention had shifted to someone else.

Lindsay smiled and headed to the kitchen where she found Stella wrapping up the leftovers.

"Geez, Stell, you didn't have to do all of this!"

Stella grinned over her shoulder at Lindsay and shrugged. "Mac helped. It was the least we could do. You've been so busy ridding your place of kids. Are they all gone?"

"Yeah," Lindsay sighed tiredly. "Though Adam is still in there with Lucy…"

"So, no…"

They both laughed and Stella moved to put some of the leftovers in the fridge.

"Speaking of Mac," Lindsay began, "is he okay?"

"Of course," Stella replied a little to quickly. "Why wouldn't he be?"

"Just a minute ago, he seemed a little…flushed."

"Probably the excitement of the day," Stella stated, opening the fridge door with more force than necessary.

"Uh-huh," Lindsay smirked knowingly. "It's fine, Stell, really."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Stella insisted, fumbling to put some plates on the shelf in the fridge.

Lindsay chuckled. "Making out with your husband isn't a crime."

Stella's cheeks flushed bright red, even though her back was to Lindsay. "We weren't making out! It was only a few kisses!"

"Aha!" Lindsay squealed.

"Okay, busted!" Stella admitted, finally turning to Lindsay.

"I think it's sweet that you can't keep your lips off of each other for more than a few hours," Lindsay admitted as she picked up another plate and passed it to Stella.

Stella rolled her eyes and smirked, the heat of embarrassment beginning to fade away as she remembered a few _details_ about Lindsay and Danny. "We must've learned that from you and Danny. Wasn't it just a few hours ago that _you _got all embarrassed when your husband tried to kiss you?"

Lindsay had no response for that other than a soundless gape.

"And I seem to remember a certain conversation on the phone a few weeks ago…" Stella continued. "Something about Danny's need for good lovin'?"

It was Lindsay's turn to blush, and she added a groan as her head slumped forward. "I still can't believe Lucy heard that. Guess you'll learn when you have kids of your own how sneaky they can be."

"Yeah," Stella replied noncommittally and shifted uncomfortably.

Lindsay cocked her head and studied Stella. Over the years she'd become quite good at reading people, especially the Taylors. "Did I say something wrong?"

Stella sighed and looked down at the floor. "Mac wants a baby."

"And you don't?"

"It's not that," Stella sighed again as she began to fidget nervously.

"Remember when I was in labor with Lucy and I was so scared and worried? You told me I'd be a great mom and that everything would be okay. Well, I'm telling you the same thing, Stella. You and Mac would be great parents!" she continued excitedly. "And you've already got some practice with Lucy," she finished with a grin.

"Lucy's a great kid. It's just…I don't know. I'm kind of old to be starting a family."

"Is that why you've been avoiding our talk?" Mac asked from the doorway.

**VVVVV**

**Thanks for reading! It seems as though I've become fond of cliffhangers… Wonder who taught that to me? XD**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks for all the support for this. Y'all are the best. **

**Jenna, this chapter is for you and Synnie. :D And to lily moonlight, thanks for all you do. Words cannot express how much you're appreciated.**

**Enjoy!**

**VVVVV**

"This is one awesome camera, Luce," Adam chuckled, still admiring the 'toy.'

Adam was certain that one of two things had happened. Whoever bought the camera had done their homework, or, the more likely scenario, at least in his opinion, was that the buyer asked for help from one of the store's attendants. Jealous that 'the guys' had chosen this particular camera without his help, he silently sulked and continued turned over the camera in his hands. He'd have been more than happy to pitch in if they'd asked him to. He'd have even volunteered to go pick it out. And he wouldn't have had to ask anyone which camera to buy. Though he had to admit that he'd have bought the camera he was currently holding…

Adam thought back to when he received his first camera at sixteen years old. He knew his parents had spent a small fortune, but he knew the camera was worth it and made sure it got lots of use. His memory skipped forward a few years to when he got his iPod, though he had to buy it for himself. He shelled out a chunk of money that day, but once again, it was worth it to be at the technological forefront…

"Uncle Adam…_Uncle Adam!_" Lucy exclaimed, rapidly tapping his knee.

"Whoa, sorry Luce," he said, returning to the present from his moment of distraction. "What's up?"

"Can you show me how to use my camera and my purple iPod?"

Adam grinned at the way she'd specified that the iPod was purple. It was as if being purple made it even more special.

"Sure, which one do you want to learn about first?"

Lucy made her 'thinking face' as she climbed onto the sofa next to Adam. "Purple iPod!" she said finally, handing the small device to Adam.

He put the camera down beside him and studied the iPod for a moment, simply admiring the technology. His first iPod was nearly four times bigger and had only a twentieth of the capacity of Lucy's. But even though he knew technological advancements were completed on a daily basis, he couldn't help but admire everything about the newest generation iPods.

"Okay," he began eventually, "first thing we gotta do is get some songs on here. Daddy and Mommy have songs stored on their computer?"

"Uh-huh," Lucy nodded. "Daddy," she called to Danny who was nearby with Mac, "can I get the computer so Uncle Adam can put songs on my purple iPod?"

"Yes, but be careful gettin' it, 'kay?"

"I will," she exclaimed as she bounced off the sofa and sprinted down the hallway to Danny and Lindsay's room to get the laptop.

"Carry it with both hands!" Danny called after her, knowing he'd never hear the end of it from Lindsay if the laptop happened to get broken.

"Yes, Daddy!"

Lucy returned a minute later, taking her time so as not to trip and damage the laptop…because then her parents would be _really_ upset. She handed it to Adam and climbed back onto the sofa as he powered up the laptop.

"What songs do you want on here?" Adam asked.

"Um, Tim McGraw and Sugarland are my favorites. And Lady Antebellum. And Whitesnake."

"Lots of Country, huh?"

"Yeah," Danny interjected with a grin. "Lindsay got to her first."

Not bothering to answer Adam or Danny, Lucy continued with her list of favorites, rattling off names of people Adam assumed were the latest Disney Channel stars.

Adam connected the iPod and the computer. "I'll have you rocking out to all your favorites, don't worry!"

True to his word, Adam soon had the iPod loaded with songs Lucy liked. He handed her the earbuds and plugged the other end into the iPod. "Ready to learn how to use this?"

"Uh-huh," she nodded.

"This is how you turn it on," he said, showing her which button to use.

She grinned as the notes of the first song began to play on her new _purple_ iPod. "What up?!" she squealed.

Danny--who, with Mac, had returned all the furniture, to its rightful place--looked over at Adam. "Did she just say what I think she said?"

Adam shrugged and bit back a grin. "Guess I'm quotable…"

Mac chuckled, observing the conversation. "I'm going to see if there's anything else Lindsay wants us to do," he informed them, heading for the kitchen.

"I got a quote for you," Danny shot back jokingly. "Hey, man, you good here?" he asked motioning toward Adam and Lucy. "Nature calls."

"Uh, didn't need to know that, but yeah, we're good," Adam told him.

"Great."

Adam chuckled softly as Danny left the room. "Hey," he said, tapping Lucy's leg. "You want to learn about your camera now?"

Lucy pulled out the earbuds and nodded. "How do I turn it off, Uncle Adam?"

He showed her which button to push, then he took it from her and put it and the laptop on the coffee table in front of them.

As Adam sat back, Lucy got up on her knees and leaned against him so she could better see the camera he'd picked up again.

"This one's real simple," he said, pressing the power button, "and it's got lots of awesome features." He switched one of the settings and continued. "Like with this one here, you can add borders to the picture." He chose a border and quickly snapped a photo of the chair opposite them, just so he could show her that the border became part of the picture. "Oh, and this one," he exclaimed as he changed settings once again, "changes the colors. It's really cool, watch," he finished as he turned the camera around and held it out so he could take a picture of them.

Lucy leaned even closer and gave her cheesiest smile. Adam grinned too and snapped the picture.

"I got blue hair!" Lucy squealed when Adam showed her the picture. "Why do I got blue hair?"

"That's just the camera setting," Adam laughed. "But I think blue hair is really cool."

"Me too. Do you think Daddy and Mommy'd let me get blue hair? For real?"

"Not a chance!" Danny called as he reentered the room. "Quit puttin' blue-hair ideas in her head, man," he insisted, the over-protective 'daddy' side of him showing. "She's only five."

"I'll be six soon, Daddy!" Lucy protested.

"Yes, I know, Luce, but right now you're still five, and you better take good care of that camera because that picture's as close as you're gettin' to blue hair."

"Aw, man!" Lucy pouted and flopped down on the sofa.

"It's okay, Luce," Adam encouraged. "At least you've got the picture, right? You can see what you'd look like with blue hair without upsetting Daddy and Mommy."

"Yeah…"

"Besides," Danny added, "Your mom would be really mad if she found out you got the idea of blue hair from Uncle Adam."

Adam chuckled nervously, imagining Lindsay's anger and immediately _not_ wanting it directed at him _again_. "Yeah, how about we keep the blue-hair thing between us?"

"I can't even _show _Mommy and Aunt Stella and Uncle Mac it?"

"Yeah, you can show 'em the picture, just don't say that you asked if you could get blue hair, 'kay?"

"'Kay, Daddy!" she grinned and slid from the sofa, taking the camera from Adam and hurrying to the kitchen.

"Dude," Danny said as he watched Lucy sprint away, "I know you like blue hair and all…"

"Yeah," Adam agreed somberly, thinking about the one girl he'd never forget. "Blue hair is awesome."

"Not for my five-year-old daughter, 'kay, Buddy?" Danny said as he crossed the room and clapped Adam on the shoulder.

Adam cleared his throat nervously and shrugged in an effort to shake off the grasp Danny had on his shoulder. "No blue hair for Lucy. Got it."

**VVVVV**

**Thanks for reading! **

**Yes, I'm terrible for not yet resolving the cliffy from chapter 6. Next chapter, I promise, though it might not be written/posted until January. That being said, would anyone be interested in reading a Lucy Christmas fic in January? Unfortunately, I've run out of time to get in everything I want to…**


	8. Chapter 8

**Ugh, I'm utterly horrible for not finishing this until now. Unfortunately, I seemed to have erased the outline for the rest of the story, and I've tried to remember everything I'd planned, though I'm sure I'll leave something out.**

**Thanks for sticking with this story and the series! There's definitely more to come!**

**For **_**lily moonlight **_**who is always so kind and who takes the time to look over my work in its rawest form, offering invaluable suggestions and endless support, **_**Jenna**_** for letting me use Synn (the blue-haired girl and the inspiration for the camera setting) even though I didn't ask her permission beforehand, **_**Julia**_** who inspired this whole series and is a major part of my Lucy-muse, and **_**csiAngel **_**who nicely and persistently encouraged me to finish this. **

**Enjoy!**

**VVVVV**

"_It's just…I don't know. I'm kind of old to be starting a family."_

"_Is that why you've been avoiding our talk?" Mac asked from the doorway._

VVVVV

"Mac!" Stella yelped, spinning toward the sound of her husband's voice. "How long have you been standing there?" she gasped, her heart pounding wildly. This certainly wasn't how she wanted him to learn of her reluctance toward having children.

"Long enough," he replied, sounding tired and the tiniest bit hurt. He pushed away from the doorframe and slowly made his way toward his wife, their eyes never breaking contact, his searching hers for answers she'd yet to voice.

"Don't be mad," Stella pleaded, emotion controlling her voice.

"I'm not mad," he told her in a near-whisper. "I'm concerned that you felt you had to keep that from me. I'm your husband, Stella, and there shouldn't be any secrets between us."

Lindsay stood to the side feeling like a voyeur as the very what-should-have-been private conversation between two of her closest friends continued to unfold right there in her kitchen. She knew she should leave, yet she was practically rooted to her spot, transfixed by the electricity in the room. Wasn't it just a short time before in the very same kitchen, that the pair seemed more than eager to at least _practice_ their baby-making skills?

"You're right, Mac," Stella said softly, eyes flicking away from his and coming to rest on the cuticle of her thumb as she feverishly picked at it with the nail on her index finger. "And I'm sorry. I just--I don't know," she finished with a heavy sigh.

His hand covered hers, halting her movements and keeping her from picking the cuticle until it bled. "Honey, look at me." Slowly, he brought his other hand up, his fingertips caressing her cheek.

Tears pooled in the inside corners of her eyes, and she fought to keep them from falling as she gazed into her husband's eyes. Tender wasn't a word that most people would use in describing Mac Taylor, but she knew better. The evidence of his tenderness was right there, both in the way he lovingly looked at her--despite the tension--and in the affectionate manner that his fingertips repeatedly brushed against her cheek.

Now uncomfortable to be witnessing such intimacy, Lindsay tore her eyes away and took a step toward the door…

…only to hear the unmistakable sounds of her daughter quickly approaching.

Confirming Lindsay's suspicion, Lucy bounced into the kitchen, excitement evident on her face.

"Look at me and Uncle Adam! I got blue hair!" Lucy exclaimed, racing to Lindsay, camera held as high as Lucy's arm could reach. "'Cept it's not real blue hair, 'cause Daddy said you'd be mad."

Lindsay let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding and smiled down at her daughter, grateful for the interruption. "Daddy's right, Luce," Lindsay said, taking the camera so she could get a better look at the picture--and because Lucy's fidgeting made looking at the picture nearly impossible…and a little nauseating. "My baby's beautiful hair can't be dyed blue!"

"Not even when I get big like you and Aunt Stella? I can't get _real_ blue hair then?" Lucy asked, eyes wide with hope.

"Let's worry about that later," Lindsay said with a sigh, nowhere near ready to talk about the possibility of her daughter dyeing her hair blue.

"Did Uncle Adam take that picture?" Stella asked, also glad for Lucy's presence because it postponed _that_ talk with her husband yet again. The Messers' kitchen wasn't the place for a conversation of that magnitude anyway.

"Uh-huh," Lucy nodded voraciously, glancing in Stella and Mac's direction. "Mommy, I gotta show 'em the picture, too!" Lucy whined, reaching for her camera.

Lindsay--who had glanced over at the Taylors when Stella asked about the picture--watched as Stella quickly composed herself, taking a deep breath and plastering on the best smile she could muster. Lindsay also noticed that Stella had put some space between herself and Mac, though he still kept hold of her hand.

Mac, ultimately frustrated, though he could never be upset with his goddaughter, added a sigh of his own and gently squeezed Stella's hand, drawing her attention back to him for a brief moment. "We're not done talking," he told her quietly. "We finish this when we get home."

Stella studied him for a moment but said nothing.

"Promise me," he insisted. "Stell?"

"Fine," she sighed, pulling away from him and bending to get a better look at the picture of Lucy and Adam. "You know," she continued, her tone now much lighter, "that's a very cool picture." She looked up at Lindsay. "Reminds me of that girl Adam dated for a while."

"I know," Lindsay agreed. "Whatever happened to her?"

Lucy, uninterested in someone she didn't know, didn't wait for either Stella or Mac to answer her mother's question. Instead, she hurried past Stella, eager to show the picture to Mac.

"Do you like my blue hair, Uncle Mac?" she asked, nose scrunched as she peered up at him.

"That's a good picture, but I like your hair as it is here," he told her, lightly tapping the top of her head.

"Uncle Mac!" Lucy giggled and squirmed away, her excitement drawing genuine smiles from the adults.

"Hey, uh," Adam poked his head into the kitchen, "it's later than I realized, so I gotta get going…unless you need me for something else."

"No, Adam, we're good," Lindsay said. "Did you tell Uncle Adam 'thank you,' Lucy?"

"You're the bestest for helping with all my cool stuff," she squealed, racing to him and wrapping her arms around his waist in a quick hug. "Mommy and Aunt Stella and Uncle Mac like our picture. But Mommy said I can't get blue hair."

Adam chuckled nervously. "Sorry, Linds, how was I supposed to know that's what she'd latch onto? I just wanted to show her the fun settings on the camera."

"Adam…"

He'd drifted off, muttering to himself.

"_Adam!_" Lindsay finally broke through. "It's fine, really," she assured him, offering a smile.

"Huh," he replied with another nervous chuckle. "I thought you'd totally bust me for that. Okay then. Well, I'm gonna get going. Thanks for the invite, and I'm sorry I was late." He finished with yet another chuckle, only this time he added a grin.

Lindsay rolled her eyes. "Get outta here, Ross!" she grinned back.

Adam nodded at her. "See you later, Stella, Mac."

"Bye, Adam," they said in unison.

"Mommy, can I go play with my other new stuff?" Lucy asked, excitement over the new camera already fading.

"Sure, Sweetie. Ask Daddy to help, okay?"

"Uh-huh," Lucy agreed before speeding from the kitchen.

Lindsay sighed and leaned against the counter. "I wish I had _half_ her energy."

"Yeah, you've got be exhausted," Stella said. "We should probably be going," she continued reluctantly. "You sure there's nothing else we can help with?"

Knowing her friend was searching for a way to further postpone the conversation, but unable to come up with anything else that needed to be done, Lindsay shook her head. "We sort of cleaned as we went, and you already took care of all the other stuff." She glanced at Stella, passing her an apologetic look.

"Okay, then," Stella said, her lips pressing into a thin line. She appreciated Lindsay's sincerity and felt bad for putting Lindsay in a position where she had to choose sides, the look she passed Lindsay conveying as much. Finally, Stella turned to Mac. "You ready?"

"Yeah." He motioned for Stella to lead the way.

"Actually," Lindsay interrupted, "I need to talk to Stella for just a minute. You go on and we'll be right there."

They waited until he was gone, then Lindsay walked to Stella and placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring smile. "You'll be fine, Stell," Lindsay said in a hushed tone. "You love each other, and you'll come to an agreement. You always do. Because you're Mac and Stella."

The last part earned a laugh from Stella. "Thanks, Linds."

"Anytime," Lindsay replied, giving Stella's shoulder a squeeze.

"I'm sorry about this, putting such a damper on a day of celebration. And for putting you in the middle."

"Hey, no apologies, okay? You didn't make me do anything."

Stella nodded. "Do you mind not telling Danny about this for now? I think the less people who know, the better."

"Sure, Stell, and good luck. My ears are always open if you need to talk, okay?"

Stella nodded once again then stepped away from Lindsay and headed out of the kitchen.

Lindsay followed Stella out and found Danny and Lucy in the floor playing with some of her new toys, both jamming to a song on Lucy's _purple_ iPod, each having one earbud.

Stella took note of her husband who stood nearby, silently observing the father-daughter playtime, a smile on his face.

"Lucy, Aunt Stella and Uncle Mac have to leave. Come say goodbye," Lindsay called.

Lucy pulled the earbud from her ear and let it drop, the attached cord making the tiny piece bounce against Danny's chest then hang limply, the other earbud still in his ear.

"I really love my purple iPod!" Lucy exclaimed, hugging Stella then Mac. "Can I bring it when I come over again?"

"You can't just invite yourself, Luce," Danny said as he stood and removed the earbud.

"She's welcome anytime," Stella told Danny. "Dinos and trees?" she directed at Lucy.

"Yeah," Lucy nodded.

"You got it, Lucy Goosey!" Stella grinned.

Everyone finished saying their goodbyes, and Mac held the door open for Stella, who passed by him with an apprehensive glance. For once, she _really_ didn't want to go home.

Lindsay shut the door after them and turned around to find Danny staring at her.

"What's with them?" he asked.

Lindsay sighed and stepped into his embrace, wrapping her arms around him and sinking against him, utterly exhausted. "I wish I could tell you," she said into his chest, "I really do, but I can't. I promised Stella."

"Women things," Danny said, kissing the top of Lindsay's head. "That's all I need to know."

"Daddy," Lucy tugged on the hem of his shirt, causing Danny and Lindsay to pull apart, "you wanna listen to Sugarland with me some more?" she asked, earbud held up toward him.

Danny let out a small groan and Lindsay chuckled.

"Oh, just indulge your daughter," Lindsay grinned. "She'll make you like Sugarland yet!"

**VVVVV**

**Thanks for reading! **

**This one is **_**finally**_** complete, but there's already a couple of ideas in the works for sequels. Thank you again to everyone who took time to read and especially those who were kind enough to send feedback. **


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